Apparatus for casting.



-0. D. PETTIS APPARATUS FOR CASTING. v APPLICATION'FILBD MAY 1, 191a.

:j1,1 4,'92 I Patented July 28, 1914.

lTED STATES PA nia'r w en.

CLIFTON n. PET'IIS, or onxcaeo, tit-L ners.

aPrARA'rUs FOB CASTING.

i t erase.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Juiy 28,1914.

Application filed May 1, 1913. Serial No. 764,825.

cago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful linprovemenls in Apparatus forCasting. of which I do declare the .tollowingto be a full and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification. I

The present invention has for its object, more particularly. to providean improved apparatus for the casting of rail *ay brake shoes. althoughit will be understood that the invention in part at least, is applicableto other uses.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2

is an inverted plan view of the upper portion oi, the apparatus. Fig. 3is a plan view of the lower portion of the apparatus. Fi". -1 is aperspective view of the pan-shaped shell or back for reinforcing brakeshoes. Fig, 5 is a view in cross-section on line 55 01 Fig.1. Fig. 6 isa view incross-section on line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view similar toFig. 6 illustrating a modification.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as adapted for themanufacture of brake shoes. the lower portion of my improved apparatuscomprises a chambered metal body 10, the interior of which will befilled with tire clay or like refractory material 11 that will not tendto chill the metal cast-therein. In the curved top of the lower portion10 is formed a long cutaway space 12 corresponding in size and shape tothe outline of the body portion of the brake shoe and beneath thiscutaway space 12 a cor-responding recess 13 is formed in the upperportion of the refractory material 11. i

The upper part of my improved casting apparatus consists preferably oftwo metal sections 15 and 16. Each of these sections is providedadjacent its ends with lugs 18 that will be pivotally connected withcorresponding lugs 19 that project laterally from the lower portion ofthe apparatus. Preferably the. pivotal connections between the lugs 18ot the sections 15 and 16 and the lugs 19 is effected by means ofpivot-rods 20 that pass through suitable. holes termed in the lugs. Eachof the pivoted sections 15 and 16 is formed upon its under side with ashallow recess 22 corresponding in length to the length of the body ofthe brake shoe and correspondingin width to one-halt-of the. width ofsuchshoe, and each of the-seetipns 15 and 16 is termed centrally with adeeper transverse cavity 23 to receive or form the c n-i'espondim halfof the center lug of the shoe, and is formed at its end with. atransverse cavity 2t to receive or form half-of the end lugot' theshoe.- It .will be understood. of course, that the precise shape-0f thecavities 23 and 24 will depend upon the character and shape of thecenter and end lugs of the shoe.

In each of the sections 15 and 16 are formed halves of the pouring holes26 through which will be poured the metal or other material that is toconstitute the body of the shoe. .When the-sections 15 and 16 are in theclosed position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings these sectionswill be at a distance above or spaced from the top of the lower portion10 of the apps ratus, with the cavities of the sections-15 and 16immediately above the space 12 and cavity 13 of the lower portion 10. Asthe contact of the abutting; faces of the sections 15 and 16 arrestsvany further downward movement of the sections, a .simplemeans is thusprovided for holding the upper sections when in closed position at-adistance above the lower section of the mold. The

distance between the sections 15 and 16 whenv in closed position, andthe portion 10, will' determine the height or vertical thickness of thebrake shoe to be cast; and in order that such dimensions. of the brakeshoes may be conveniently varied to meet the requirements of differentrailroads, I provide for relative adjustment of the sections and lowerportion 10. preferably as hereinaftermore fully set torth As shown, thepivot lugs19 are formed in- 111 's are to be formed in zontal alinement,while the holes through the lower portion 10 are arranged at ditferentdistances from the bottom of the lower portion 10. Hence, it will beseen that when the bolts 28 are passed through the lowermost holes 32 inthe portion 10, said portion 10 will be held closer to the sections 15and 16 than when the bolts 28 are in the holes 32 farther from thebottom of the portion 10. Thus, for example, if a comparatively thinbrake shoe is to be formed (say'a shoe 1], inches thick), the bolts 28will be passed through the end holes 30 and 32, whereas if a very thickbrake-shoe (say a shoe 2 inches thick) is to be formed, the bolts 28will be passed through the innermost holes 30 and 32. While I have thusprovided one officient means for effecting the relative adjustment ofthe lower and upper portions of the apparatus, it is obvious that suchrel ative adjustment can be secured in a great variety of ways withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

My present invention is more especially "for thus holding the shelldesigned for the manufacture of that form of reinforced brake shoes (anexample of which is shown in application for Letters Patent filed by mein the United States Patent Oflice August 3, 1912, Serial No. 713,177)in which the cast body of the shoe is reinforced upon its back, sidesand ends with a pan-shaped shell or backin the casting operation. I

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have shown one form of pan-shaped back orshell adapted to beused in the practice of my present invention, and inFigs. 5 and 6 I have shown this back or shell as set in the mold inreadiness to receive the material, such as molten metal, of which thebody of the shoe is formed. The pan shaped back or shell is shown asprovided with holes 41 adapted to come opposite the pouring holes ofsections 15 and 16 and it is also provided, at its center and adjacentits ends, with openinns 42 and 43" through which the cast metal willflow into thecavities 23 and 24 of the sections 15 and 16 to form thecenter and end lugs, respectively, of the shoe, if these whole or partof the cast metal or other material which forms the body of the shoe. Ifthe center and end lugs are formed entirely of ductile metal or ifductile metal parts are used to reinforce these lugs, such ductile metalpieces will be placed in the cavities 23 and 24 of the sections 15 and16 before the casting operation. In the particular construction shown,the end lugs are formed in part of portions 44 of the pan shaped back orshell. and partly of cast metal or the like which fills the portions 44and which flows through the openinflfs 13 into the cavities 24 of thesections 15 and 16. In the construction shown, the

center lug is reinforced by a staple-like piece 1 15 of ductile metal,the ends of which are interlocked with the back of the pan shaped shell.This reinforcing strip. is held in posltion by a core 46 inserted withinit and above the back of the rein"orcin;, shell, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 6. the end walls of the shell 40 areprovided with downwardly projecting tongues 4-7 which are adapted torest in the bottom of the re cess or cavity 13 in the lower body portion10. These tongues thus hold the lower edges of the pan or shell at adistance above the bottom of the cavity 13 so that, when the material 15poured into the shell, it will fill that part of the cavity 13 below thelower edges of the shell 40. While it is not essential, some means ispreferably provided 40 in position with its lower edges above the bottomof the cavlty 13, so that the shell or back of the shoe shall terminateat a considerable distance from its wearing face. In the modificat onshown in Fig. 7, the refractory material 11 projects inwardly to aslight extent beyond the edges of the opening 12 in the top of the lowerbody portion 10, so that a shoulder 48 is formed about the cavitv 13.This shoulder is arranged above the bottom of the cavity and the edgesof the pan shaped back or shell. rest thereon during the castingoperation. L

Then the pan shaped shell or back 10 is placed in position in readinessfor the cast-- mg operation, the drawings, it will be seen that the Sideand end walls of the back or shell 40 span the space between the lowersection 10 and the upper sections 15 and 16 of the apparatus, and theshell thus forms, in effect, a part of the mold for the casting,operation. Preferably, the sections 15 and 16 are quite thick and heavy,so that they will securely hold the back in position. V'Vhen thematerial, such as molten metal, is poured through the holes in thesections 15 and 16 and through the back of the shell. it will fill thelatter and the cavity 13 of the lower portion 10 and will also fill thecenter and end lug cavities 23 and 24 of the sections 15 and 16, and thebody of the shoe will be securely united to the shell in the castingoperation. \Vhen metal is used, the shell, in effect, forms an integralpart of the body of the shoe and provides, as it were, a tough skin orarmour for the back and side walls thereof. The shell is' preferablyformed of very thin ductile metal, which, I have found i practice, maybe employed without danger of the molten metal burning through the wallsthereof. By using such a pan shaped shell in the casting operation, thesame set of parts or mold sections may be employed for shoes ofdifferent thickness as the side and end walls of the shell will span asshown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the open space between the upper and lowerportions of the appaatus and will permit such parts to be separated moreor less to enable shoes of diti'erent thicknesses to be cast. Theapparatus also obviates the necessity of employing sand molds, and atthe same time, obviates the disadvantageous chilling of the body of theshoe occasioned by the use of metal molds. In the construction shown,the face of the shoe is formed by the cavity 13 in the refractorymaterial 11 which, of course, does not act to chill the metal. Theshell, as stated, is formed of very thin ductile metal which heats uprapidly when the molten metal is poured into it and, inasmuch as theside walls of the shell are exposed between the lower section 10 and theupper sections 15 and 16, such side walls will have little or no coolingaction upon the body of the shoe. It should be noted, that the shell issecurely held in position by the walls of the opening 12 in the lowersection 10 and within the cavity 22 of the upper sections 15 and 16. Theshells can be formed inexpensively by stamping operations and can bequickly placed within the apparatus set forth for the casting operation.,By forming the upper portion of the apparatus of two separate sections,with the pouring openings 26 extending between the meeting facesthereof, the sections can be quickly opened to release the shoe and thegates or portions of cast metal formed within the pouring openings.

It will be understood that the details of construction set forth may bevaried without departingfrom the spirit of the invention and thatfeatures thereof may be employed without its adoption as an entirety.

The terms upper and lower as herein used are not to be understood asterms of limitation, since the relative position of the mold sectionsmay be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A casting apparatus comprising upper and lower sections provided withmeans for holding a shell in position between said. sections andconstructed to form a space ourside the walls of said shell when thesections are in closed position to expose the shell to the coolingaction of the air, one of said sections being provided with a pouringhole whereby metal may be admitted to the in terior of said shell. I

2. A casting apparatus comprising upper and lower sections adapted tohold a shell conforming in outline to the shape of abrake shoe inposition between said sections and constructed to form a space outsidethe walls of said shell when the sections are in closed position toexpose the shell to the cooling action of the air, said lower sectionbeing provided in its upper partwith a mold cavity corresponding inoutline to the face of the brake shoe and adapted to coincide with thewalls of said shell, and means independent of the shell for adjustablyholding said sections at different distances apart.

A casting apparatus comprising a lower port-ion provided in its upperpart with a mold cavity, and an upper portion formed of movablesections, said upper sections when in closed position being held at adistance above the cavity of the lower sec: tion to form a wide spaceabove said cavity.

4-. A casting apparatus comprising a lower portion provided in its upperpart with a mold cavity and an upper portion formed of sectionspivotally connected with the lower portion, said upper sections beingformed with downwardly-facing cavities and being held when in closedposition at a distance above said lower portion to form a space aroundthe casting made by the mold.

5. A. casting apparatus comprising upper and lower portions providedwith means for holding a shell in position between them' and constructedto form a space outside the walls of said shell when the portions are inclosed position to expose the shell to the cooling action of the air,one of said portious being chambered and having a filling of refractorymaterial provided in its upper face with a mold cavity to come oppositesaid shell.

(3. A casting apparatus comprising upper and lower portions providedwith means for holding a shell conforming in outline to a brake shoe' inposition between them and constructed to form a space outside the wallsof said shell when the portions are in closed position to expose theshell to the cooling action of the air, said upper portion being formedof sections pivotally and adjustably connected to the lower portionwhereby the space outside thewalls of said shell may be varied when saidupper portions are in closed position.

7. A casting, apparatus for forming brake shoes comprising a chamberedlower portion having a top provided with a recess in its upper part,a'filling of refractory material within said lower portion provided witha cavity corresponding with and immediately beneath said recess in saidtop, and an upper portion to hold a pan or shell, said upper portionbeing provided with a longitudinal cavity above the recess of said lowerportion and with cavities or spaces for the center and end lugs of theshoe.

8. A casting apparatus comprising a lower portion provided in its upper"part with a mold cavity,'lugs projecting laterally from said lowerportioman upper portion formed with sections provided with laterallyprojecting lugs pivotally connected 7 to the side lugs of the lowerportion, and lower portion, and an upper portion formed means forvertically adjusting said lower of sections provided with laterallyprojectlugs upon said lower portion. 111g lugs pivoted to the said firstmentioned 9. A casting apparatus comprising a lugs. lower portion, barsextending along the CLIFTON D. PETTIS.

sides of said lower portion and provided \Vitnesses: with pivot lugsprojecting laterally there- HARRY L. CLALP,

from, said bars being adjustable upon said J. G. ANDERSON.

